Microsoft ergonomic 4000 keyboard with Big Sur OS?

I also use the 4000. MS stopped supporting the drivers for it on the Mac years ago. If you look at any newer box, it doesn't even have a Mac logo on it anymore.

Up until Big Sur, I used USB Overdrive. The initial beta was supposed to work with Big Sur, but didn't work at all for me. I see the author has released a new version. Maybe I'll try it again.

Because I was tired of waiting for USB Overdrive to actually work, I upgraded the copy of SteerMouse I already had, and use this free utility for the 4000.

When you unzip the download, you'll find these two small apps:

Input Event Dumper

Special Key Handler

You don't need the Dumper. Just put Special Key Handler in the Utilities folder, then add it as a startup item in your account (System Preferences).

It doesn't work for the "My Favorites" keys, the "Star" key or the Back and Forward buttons, but you can at least assign actions for the Web/Home button, the Mail button and the Calculator button. All others work via the OS.

The OS will say anything about that with software that wasn't downloaded from the App Store, and/or isn't code signed. Basically, lots of software you don't download through the App Store. I get that message every time I update FontLab Studio, and a few others.

With any software you obtain from darn near any location other than the App Store, the OS will warn you it may not be safe. Doesn't automatically mean it isn't. Just that you should investigate.

With Special Key Handler, the entire Swift source code is there for anyone to download who may want to go through it. Personally, I've been using it since 11.1. No issues I can see.

Contact Microsoft about the compatibility of this keyboard with Big Sur. Just because Microsoft advertises this keyboard as Mac compatible does not mean forever…